House Frey
House Frey of the Crossing is one of the noble house's of the Riverlands. Their ancestral seat is the Twins, a pair of castles on each bank of the Green Fork that serves as a vital crossing over the river. The strategic location of the Twins has allowed the house to become quite wealthy. Their sigil is two blue towers united by a bridge on silver-grey, representing the Twins. Two cadet branches of House Frey exist. One holds the seat of Harrenhal and the Lord Paramountcy of the Riverlands the other holds the seat of Riverrun. Seat: The Twins The Twins consist of two identical castles standing on a margin of the Green Fork of the Trident. A stone bridge arches between them. This bridge is wide enough for two wagons to cross abreast, and is guarded by a tower in the middle known as the Water Tower. It is the only crossing point over the Green Fork for hundreds of miles in either direction, from the North to the western Riverlands. It lies directly athwart the main route from Winterfell to Riverrun. The Freys have held the crossing of the Green Fork for almost nine hundred years. It took them three generations to complete the bridge, after which they built timber keeps on each bank of the river. Since then, the Freys have grown wealthy by charging a heavy toll on all those who need to cross - a fact which irks many older or more powerful houses. The timber keeps have since been replaced by stone. These castles are what give the stronghold its name, for they are identical. They have high curtain walls, deep moats and a barbican and portcullis in each. The bridge footings rise from within the inner keeps. The seat of the Lord of the Crossing is a massive chair of black oak. Its back is carved in the shape of two towers joined by an arched bridge. Seat: Harrenhal The castle has five towers of dizzying size, with equally monstrous curtain walls. The walls are incredibly thick and its rooms are built on a scale that would be more comfortable for giants than humans. The castle's holdings are some of the richest in Westeros, claiming vast tracts of green fertile land. Harrenhal covers three times as much ground as Winterfell and its buildings are so much larger that they can scarcely be compared. Its stables can house a thousand horses, its godswood covers twenty acres, and its kitchens are as large as Winterfell's Great Hall. When it was built it could have potentially garrisoned a million men. Seat: Riverrun Riverrun is a strong three-sided castle, although not especially large. The castle is bordered on the north by the Tumblestone and on the south by the Red Fork, while on the west a third side faces a massive man-made ditch. In time of danger the sluice gates can be opened to fill a wide moat and leave the castle surrounded on all three sides by water, turning Riverrun into an island and leaving it practically unassailable. It commands a view of many leagues. The castle has sandstone walls which rise sheer from the water, its battlements are crenelated and have arrow loops, and its towers command the opposite shores. Riverrun's keep is located inside.Properly garrisoned, Riverrun can hold supplies for men and horses for as long as two years; a garrison of two hundred men is larger than Riverrun requires in most circumstances. Important Events 'Prior to the First Era' When Lord Walder Frey died, House Frey fell into turmoil. Black Walder Frey seized control of The Twins, and cast out most of his extended family after branding them as enemies and conspirators. Most of those Frey castaways were hunted down and hanged by the Brotherhood Without Banners as revenge for the infamous Red Wedding, while others found refuge with other noble houses, such as Lannister and Bolton, the only allies that the Freys had. Black Walder's control of the Twins was perilous and in an effort to solidify his power married into the Lannister House, taking Cerenna Lannister as his wife. Cerenna was the daughter of Stafford Lannister who was the Male head of the house at the end of the War of the Five Kings. This strong political union helped propel the Frey wealth and power. In the years since many marriages and wardships between House Frey and Lannister have occurred. In 455AL, Randyll Frey was born, his mother being a Lannister and father a Frey. It was Randyll who won Riverrun from the Tullys. During a siege of Riverrun which in which Randyll led Lannister and Frey forces, It is said he simply talked the lord Hoster II Tully out of it. The truth is more sinister, when during a parlay to discuss terms Randyll threatened to throw Lord Hoster's daughter from the walls unless he abandoned his seat. After claiming Riverrun and in an act of spite against his siblings Randyll named his cousin Addam Frey as lord of Riverrun as long as he swore vassalage to the Twins. 'First Era' During the Ascent of the Lion Randyll Frey attempted to turn against his liege lord Marq Baelish by laying siege to Harrenhal. This failed however and Randyll paid for it with his life. During the failed siege rumors spread of Randyll's Family also dying when in fact they had fled west looking to find refuge at Casterly Rock. 'Second Era' Edwin Frey was named Lord Paramount of the Riverlands after the outing of Marq Baelish by the new King, Damon Lannister. The seat of the Lord Paramount moved from Harrenhal to the Twins. Some time later that year Randyll Frey's son Brynden Frey who was feared lost at the siege of Harrenhall returned to his rightful seat at the Twins. Edwin abdicated the seat of the Twins but has taken the Title of Lord Paramount of the Riverlands to his new seat at Harrenhall. 'Third Era' The Spring Without Sun has seen much turmoil in the Riverlands but the power of House Frey continued to grow. Brynden Frey built a profitable network of large trading ships which could take advantage of the tumultuous high waters. Edwin continued to act as Lord Paramount from Harrenhal but has angered many of his vassals and the King by not making a public effort to remedy the issues which plague the Kingdom. This caused Brynden to call for a council of lords who have backed him in a plot to overthrow Edwin as Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. Addam Frey has taken an isolationist approach to much of the troubles facing the Riverlands and in particular the growing rift between Brynden and Edwin. Notable Members Randyll Frey (deceased) Edwin Frey Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, Lord of Harrenhal Brynden Frey Lord of the Crossing Bradamar Frey Addam Frey Lord Of Riverrun Jason Frey (deceased) Jeor Frey (deceased) Alester Frey (deceased) Allysa Frey ( Presumed deceased) Tywin Frey (Presumed deceased) Belandra (Lannister) Frey (Presumed deceased)Category:House Category:Frey Category:Riverlands